Wiper for wear strips of endless



1954 J. A. WHITE, JR 2,685,958

WIPER FOR WEAR STRIPS OF ENDLESS BELT CONVEYERS Filed April 13, 1955 ihis I 18 18 I L 17 17 i mvsm'on John H. ZD/ziie J12.

ATTO R N EYS Patented Aug. 10,1954

WIPER For. WEAR STRIPS F ENDLESS BELT CONVEYERS John A. White, J r.,Gilroy, Calif., assignor to Be-Ge Manufacturing 00., Gilroy, Calif., acorporation of California Application April 13, 1953, Serial No. 348,268

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to an improvement in driven endlessbelt material conveyors of the type used on trenching machines or thelike to carry off the dug earth.

In driven endless conveyors of the above type there is includedupstanding, longitudinal side skirts of resilient material disposeddirectly above the side edge portions of the upper run of the conveyorbelt. A previous improvement in such a conveyor has been theinterposition of longitudinal metallic wear strips disposed inengagement between the lower edges of the side skirts and the belt forthe purpose of preventing undue wear therebetween; such improvementbeing the subject of copending application, Serial No. 302,467, entitledConveyor Assembly.

Such wear strips, while effectively preventing frictional abradingbetween the side skirts and belt, do tend to accumulate dirt on theunder side, which dirt-if not removedbeing deleterious to the endlessbelt. V

It is therefore the major object of the present invention to provide anovel wiper for recurringly sweeping the under side of the metallic wearstrips so that the aforesaid deleterious effect of the dirt on the beltis eliminated. V

Another important object of the invention is to provide a wiper, in aconveyor assembly as described, which also functions to prevent wear ofthe lacing which connects adjacent ends of the conveyor belt.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a wiper for the purposedescribed which is simple in structure and designed for ease and economyof installation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical andreliable wiper for wear strips of endless belt conveyors, and one whichwill be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional elevation of the upper run assembly ofa driven endless belt conveyor of the type to which the presentinvention is applied; the View showing the relationship of the partsprior to passage of the wiper pads.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, but shows the relationship of the parts as thewiper pads pass in engagement with the wear strips.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation showing, the passage of the wiperpads in engagement with the wear strips; 1. e., as in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the endless belt detached, butshowing the wiper pads as secured thereto.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the numeral l indicates the upper run of the endless rubberbelt-indicated generally at B-of a driven endless conveyor; such upperrun being supported, at spaced points in the length thereof, by rollerassemblies, one of which is shown herein; each such roller assemblyincluding transversely spaced rollers 2 carried on a cross shaft 3.

The conveyor frame is indicated generally at 4 and includes longitudinalside beams 5 which support the cross shaft 3 of each roller assembly.

The upper run I of the endless rubber belt B of the conveyor issupported, at opposite sides, on the top flanges 6 of the side beams 5.

Longitudinal side skirts l--of rubber-upstand, at an upward and outwardincline, directly above the longitudinal side edge portions of saidupper run I; such side skirts being supported, on the outside andadjacent the top, by longitudinal backing strips 8, and the skirts 1 andstrips 8 are secured by bolts 9 to brackets in which upstand from theflanges E in longitudinally spaced relation.

Additionally, the bolts 9 secure longitudinal trough plates H which formin effect upward extensions of the side skirts I. At their lower edgesthe side skirts 1 are turned inwardly, each with a longitudinal foot I2.

In order to prevent frictional abrading between the longitudinal feet I2 and the side edge portions of the upper run I, a flat, longitudinalmetallic wear strip [3 is interposed between each foot I2 and theadjacent side edge portion of the upper run i of the endless belt. Thesewear strips I3 are immovable lengthwise, being secured at spaced pointsto the brackets ID by eye-like attachment clips l4 which surround, invertical play relation, the shanks of said brackets. Thus, while thewear strips [3 are prevented from lengthwise motion, they are capable oflimited vertical floating motion.

In the operation of a driven endless conveyor embodying the foregoingassembly, it has been found that the wear strips I3 are most eifectivein the prevention of frictional abrading between the longitudinal feetl2 of the side skirts 1, and the adjacent side edge portions of theupper run I of the endless belt. However, there is a tendency for thewear strips I3 to accumulate a deposit of dirt on the under sidethereof, which depositif not removed-would have a wearsuch as belting,and each pair is disposed with V the lacing lying therebetween.

Each time that the pads I6 travel in the upper run I of the belt, suchpads pass in engagement with the under side of the related wear stripsI3, effectively sweeping such strip clean from end to end thereof.

As the pads I6 so pass in engagement with the wear strips I3, the sameare urged upwardly slightly in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3, thuspermitting the swept off dirt to escape laterally either oil theconveyor or onto the material carrying surface of the rubber belt B,which surface is cross-cleated, as at I8, at longitudinally spacedpoints.

The pads I6, while relatively short transversely of the belt B, arenevertheless at least the width of the wear strips I3, and when inengagement with the latter span the full distance between the oppositeside edges thereof, whereby to accomplish a full or complete sweepingaction,

In addition to their function to recurringly sweep the under side of thewear strips I3, the pads I6 maintain such strips raised above the lacingI5 as the latter moves in the upper run I, with the result that suchlacing has no wear thereon by said wear strips.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth therein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device,

still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to asdo not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined bythe appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. In a driven endless conveyor, an endless conveyor belt having anupper run, longitudinal side skirts of resilient material upstandingfrom the side edge portions of said upper run of the belt, alongitudinal metallic wear stripinterposed in engagement between thelower edge of each side skirt and the upper surface of the correspondingside edge portion of said upper run, and wiping elements secured to theouter surface of the endless belt on said side edge portions thereof inposition to recurringly sweep in engagement with the underside of therelated wear strips.

2. An endless-conveyor, as in claim 1, in which said wiping elements arenon-metallic pads.

3.'In a driven endless conveyor, an endless conveyor belt having anupper run, longitudinal side skirts of resilient material upstandingfrom the side edge portions of said upper runof the belt, a longitudinalmetallic wear strip interposed in engagement between the lower edge. ofeach side skirt and the upper surface of the corresponding side edgeportion of said upper run, and wiping pads secured to the outer surfaceof the endless belt on said side edge portions thereof in position torecurringly sweep in engagement with the under side of the related wearstrips.

4. In a driven endless conveyor, an endless conveyor belt having anupper run, longitudinal side skirts of resilient material upstandingfrom the side edge portions of said upper run of the belt, alongitudinal metallic wear strip interposed in engagement between thelower edge of each side skirt and the upper surface of the correspondingside edge portion of said upper run, and a plurality of wiping padssecured to the outer surface of the endless belt at longitudinallyspaced points along said side edge portions thereof in position torecurringly sweep in engagement with the under side of the related wearstrips; the belt including end portions secured by lacing, there being apair of said pads on each of the side edge portions of the belt inspaced but adjacent relation and the lacing extending between the padsof each such pair.

No references cited.

